Sparks, a Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: SEM Story
by RoseblossomWarrior
Summary: PMD3 based Saif the Gallade didn't always live the Base for Pokemon Protection. Explore his past and secrets as Conteur the Storyteller tells the tale of the journey of a "cripple" Ralts in pursuit of the only option he has - evolution. HIATUS/ABANDONED. Sorry.
1. Prologue

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokemon. I only own the characters, but their respective species are owned by their respective owners.**

**Words: about 1,485. Dangit, I guess my promise that every chapter would be 2k+ was false. Sorry!**

**Anyways, this was finished way way way faster than I thought o.O But it comes with the price of my math homework. Oh sigh.**

**Anway, this story is a side story to "Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Someone Else's Memories". I reccommend you read that as well as this, so you are not confused at some points. Plus, more people reading is always a plus. This will probably be a very long story (at the very least 20 chapters, I believe), so be prepared. **

**On with the show! Or story. Technicalities.**

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**Prologue**

Rayquaza's domain extends from sky to sky. In his clutches are the clouds, free for him to control; not even Kyogre, the legend of the deep, can pull the liquid of the skies from the air as long as Rayquaza is in the vicinity. But while Rayquaza's territory is the entire sky, usually the clouds are left to float on the wind, as the great dragon has no real need to constantly bend the clouds to his will.

---

The heavy clouds circled and swirled over the seaside factory. Wind buffeted the incredibly large steel walls the factory, but no amount of force could even come close to tearing down the well-built workplace.

The resident Pikachu and Machop, along with a handful of Raichu and Machoke, were swarming along the roof. The Superpower Pokemon would steady the lightning rods and tighten then down with bolts and screws, while the electric rodents would send sparks, testing the rods.

In the millennia since the darkness was prevented (well, five years from being a millennia, but that doesn't matter), technology in the Pokemon world had come far. Although only the rich could afford actual running electricity without depending on an Electric type, it was mandatory for at least major cities and buildings to have electricity.

It was electricity the team was harvesting from the storm. Lightning would strike the rods, and travel down into a special generator within the factory. The electricity generated would help light the factory. That is, it would, if the team could fix the rods in time, as the sudden storm had caught them unprepared.

The supervising Raichu took his hardhat off (he hadn't really needed to wear it anyway) and scratched at his sweaty head. He glanced warily up at the clouds and hoped that they would hold their electricity in until his crew could finish.

"Hey, Herrero!" a Machoke called from below. "When do you suppose the storm's gonna hit?"

"I don't know," Herrero called good-naturedly, kinking his long tail. "Better get this done quick, eh?"

The Machoke laughed and went on with his work. The Raichu looked back up at the clouds. In the far distance, a spark erupted from the swirling mass.

"Faster!" Urgency filled his voice. "It's coming!"

The Pokemon on the roof quickened their pace double time. As they struggled to fix the rods in place, the clouds churned even more violently, and rain began to fall down in icy sheets. Herrero thought he saw even hail fall from the deadly mass in the sky.

"Stop! Stop!" the supervisor screeched. "It's too dangerous, get away! Abort!" He pushed the nearest Pokemon toward the ladders at the side of the roof.

Lightning flashed blindingly in the sky, and thunder boomed, sending several workers jumping out of their skins.

The Pokemon on the roof started to panic. Several Machoke grabbed a hold of their fellow workers and swung them over their shoulders as they raced toward the ladders.

It took several moments in the chaos, but finally Herrero was the last Pokemon on the roof. He made to scramble down one of the ladders, but a sudden gale forced him back head-over-heels. The high wind rocked the already loose lightning rods, sending several flying through the air.

Some who heard the story said it was a freak accident, a simple coincidence. Others said that Arceus had meant it to happen. Many variations flowed in between those. Such as, the Machoke deliberately pushed the rods off the roof, or perhaps Rayquaza intervened. Only the legends themselves could be absolutely sure of the truth.

Herrero, the supervision, however, would find in the future that the storm was a blessing.

---

_Welcome, listeners. Oh, you're a new face. Welcome to the story. I am Conteur, and I have long since learned that my name means 'storyteller'. _

_Hm? You have a question? …Excuse me? Why is this story not about the heroes of time, Tide and Olivia? Ah, good question. But that story is different from this one, however connected they may be. I'll get on with the story._

_I'm sure it would be nearly impossible for you, being barely older than hatchlings, to imagine the world a colorless, breeze-less, absolutely still planet._

_That was the way of the world, from a thousand years ago to merely a year ago. The darkness twisted the hearts and minds of the Pokemon who knew nothing of friendship. It chilled their very souls._

_Celebi, the former founder of the Resistance against Primal Dialga - more commonly known as the RPD - and the great Grovyle, along with a human, Olivia, spent countless hours and numerous months to find a cure for the planet's paralysis. Finally, they were ready to travel back in time._

_Of course, you already know about how Olivia mysteriously turned into a Pokemon and lost her memory. Eventually, she, Grovyle, and her new partner, a Piplup by the name of Tide, reached the Hidden Land with the five Time Gears. But to stop Dusknoir, Grovyle had to return to the future; but that is a different story._

_Olivia and Tide succeeded in defeating Primal Dialga. Time was restored to its original perfection. Unfortunately, Olivia disappeared off the face of the earth. While all Pokemon have reappeared in our current time, Olivia has yet to be found, and is most likely gone forever._

_But, young ones, this story is not simply about Grovyle, nor Celebi, not Olivia, not ever Tide - his story is still being told, and I am not allowed to tell you how it ends._

_But I am allowed to tell you how this story ends, but that will come in time. Ha, little one. You're smart. The end will come in time because it always does. Even I do not know how this story ends yet. But who is this story about? We'll get to that in a moment._

_Because Primal Dialga was defeated, the RPD was no longed needed. But Grovyle, Celebi, and even Dusknoir, were concerned about the safety of the Pokemon. Dialga instructed them to find a base for any Pokemon to come to if they were distressed._

_In time, they found a gargantuan of a tree and carved its innards into a base. But the tree was not theirs to begin with. No, there were two Pokemon who lived in the tree, starved to near death in the winter when the three arrived. _

_This Pokemon would bring a strong mind to the Base for Pokemon Protection. He would also bring his strength, as well as a gift to show the fighting spirit that lies within all Pokemon._

_This Pokemon is known today as Saif the Gallade._

_Before I take a break this evening, I will tell you of one more Pokemon. This scene took place five years ago, on the same day as the storm, only in the early hours of the morn._

---

Morning sunlight poured into the seaside forest. Tailow and Starly and the like twittered their morning call. Caterpie, Weedle, and Wurmple once again began their daily routine of gorging themselves on their respective foods. To the stranger of the forest, the scene was perfect. But to the observant, a small cry could be heard, coming from the deepest section of the forest.

At the same time, to the west, a female Kirlia was both teleporting and frantically running. She struggled against turning and dashing back toward the cry. She had already stayed for the maximum possible time; she had to go.

A breeze stirred the leaves of the taller, thicker trees in the middle of the forest. The crying continued, originating from a small tunnel beneath a thick sycamore root.

_He'll be fine. He'll be okay._ The Kirlia did her best to hold back her tears. _He'll be fine,_ she repeated in her head, hoping to Arceus that it would be true.

The Kirlia knew that her heart would be broken forever, but the consequences were too great to keep her son. He was what her tribe called a 'half-breed': the offspring of a Kirlia and a Gengar. Only Gallade and Gardevoir were allowed offspring in her tribe. All other offspring were killed. But with this case, the Kirlia, the Gengar, and their son would be killed, and their families would be shamed forever.

Finally, the Kirlia broke free from the forest. She had to get back to her tribe by today, or else they would track her. She started to run along the craggy cliff (in her worsening state of mind, teleporting would be suicidal). She tucked all of her memories pertaining to her son in the deepest recesses of her mind, where no one but her would be able to reach them.

As she ran back to her tribe, she could only hope that her little Saif wouldn't perish.

**RoseblossomWarrior presents**

**Sparks, a Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: SEM Story**

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Ah, every time I write "RoseblossomWarrior presents" I can hear the little tune in PMD2/3.

Please review, reviews are always good. :) And don't expect an update for a while, I feel a big pile of homework calling me at school.


	2. The Leaping Spark

**DISCLAIMER: No, I don't own Pokemon, only the characters, but their respective species are owned by the owners of Pokemon.**

**A/N **I'm finally tired of author notes being in bold. xD It took a little while to write the intro to this chapter, but nevertheless it is written. I don't think this'll be updated as often as my other story, but we'll see.

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**One: The Leaping Spark**

"_Hello again, children. Gather 'round, gather 'round. Get comfy. Now-- Oh, hello young Wooper. Quickly, quickly, we haven't got all day. Ha-ha._

"_Now, every story has a beginning, and it must also have an end - well, at least in my experience, that is true. Some beginnings are simple, others are severe - the same goes for the end, as well. Not one beginning is exactly the same as another. Unless it is like that in some other universe - ahem, excuse me, I tend to ramble sometimes._

"_Anyways, before we delve much further into the story, there is a caution to this tale: while much of this story may not be so bad, it is not exactly for the faint of heart. Are we understanding?_

"…_Good. Now - hey, you, little Magby! I saw you, don't poke at others! Hands to yourself, please._

"…_Where was I? Oh, yes. Let's go back five years ago, to the night before the storm, before we continue on with the main of the story."_

_---_

_The room was - basically - bare and earthen, with roots of the sycamore and other trees lining the walls. A single candle illuminated the small room, and a Kirlia cradled a week-old Ralts in her arms._

"_My little Saif," she whispered. "Where does the time go?"_

"_What do you mean, Mother?" the Ralts asked in his young, high-pitched voice._

"_Oh, nothing." The Kirlia smiled and set her son down on the bed of grass and laid a tattered blanket over him._

_---_

The Pokemon of the forest were curious of the noise coming from under the tree root, but they knew that the creature in the burrow was of the "civilized blood," and that kept them at bay.

Now that the destruction of time had been stopped, it wasn't an issue anymore about being wild or being a civilian - both (in general) knew the difference of right and wrong, and weren't influenced by the power of darkness. But the Pokemon of the forest had always been brought up superstitiously. They believed that Pokemon of "civilized" blood would find the "uncivilized" to be no better than vermin.

---

"_I wish Dimentico could see you," the Kirlia whispered. "I know he would be proud."_

"_Why can't Father see me?" Saif asked, curious._

"_Oh, it's nothing important," the Kirlia shrugged. She stroked her son's head, and started to sing a soft lullaby that her mother and her mother's mother had sung._

"_Oh, don't you cry, my son,_

"_For the sun will rise, in the morn._

"_The darkness of the night_

"_Will give way to the light."_

_---_

Wind stirred the branches and leaves overhead as the cries gave way to soft sobs. Several young Rattata, not quite old enough to understand their parents' warnings of the civilized, poked their noses down into the tunnel entrance.

The tiny purple rats peered around a mound of earth. A small candle lit the almost bare burrow. A pile of grasses and ferns covered in a ratty blanket in the farther corner served as a bed. The earthen walls and floor were lined with numerous roots of various sizes, some even poking out of the earth, seeming to point like fingers.

One particularly thick root near the candle (which was being held but a loop in a root) served as a chair. In that chair sat a small white Pokemon with a green head of hair and a red horn protruding from its head.

---

"_The setting of the sun,_

"_Shall be swallowed by the night._

"_But the moon shall be your friend;_

"_The cycle of morn won't ever end."_

_---_

Puddles of tears stained the floor. The Ralts's shoulders were shaking, and his green screening of hair hid his face. One of the Rattata could have sworn that the little Psychic muttered something, but his voice was too low to hear.

The smallest Rattata, a young female, cautiously approached the Ralts. When she was close enough, the petite rat nosed the Ralts's leg.

"Come and play with us," she squeaked.

The Ralts lifted his head, revealing his dark grey eyes,

---

"_Give thanks to the heroes,_

"_Who kept our home alive._

"_For they have kept their wills strong,_

"_So that you could live long."_

_---_

Wiping away his tears, the Ralts followed the Rattata to the mouth of the burrow. The other Rattata hopped out of the tunnel, but stopped and turned around when they realized that the Ralts wasn't following them.

The small infant Pokemon hesitated at the mouth of the tunnel. "I… I'm not supposed to leave without Mother unless it's an emergency." He looked around at the outside world of seemingly thousands of trees, and peered at the undergrowth, as if his mother would appear in only a moment.

---

"_Listen to the patter of rain,_

"_When all else seems to fail._

"_An answer will come in time,_

"_As Arceus decreed it so."_

_---_

The female Rattata darted back to the Ralts and tugged gently on his arm. "Come play! Our mothers let us play all the time!"

The Ralts hesitated as a firece wind rocked the branches of the tall trees. "Well… okay."

The Rattata let out cries of joy, and herded the Ralts eastward, toward their favorite playing grounds. As the group journeyed along in the forest, the Ralts began to relax. The Rattata curiously poked their noses in every hole, under every root, and behind every tree. But they always doubled back to walk alongside the Ralts.

Finally, the group reached the edge of the woods, and came to a large meadow. Now that the trees weren't obscuring their view of the sky, they saw that dark clouds were churning in the sky. In the distance, a large structure, the likes of which the Ralts had never seen, stood in defiance against the buffeting wind.

The Rattata darted into the meadow, and quickly disappeared among the tall grasses. The Ralts tottled after his friends on his short legs. Suddenly, the heavens opened, showering the youngsters with icy rain. Lightning flashed and thunder cackled, right overhead.

The Rattata, frightened, dashed back for the shelter of the forest. The Ralts froze with fright as the forces of nature clashed. Rain pelted him, causing his green hair to plaster against his face.

Completely encased in fright, the Ralts tensed, and shot out Psychic energy in self-defense.

---

"_Now, my dear son,_

"_It's time to fall asleep._

"_I wish you sweet dreams;_

"_Remember: few things are as they seem."_

_---_

One of the Ralts's Psychic bursts grasped an airborne lightning rod that had blown off of the seaside factory. Lightning flashed, striking the rod. The electricity traveled in a split second down the rod, and jumped across the Psychic hold.

Sparks flashed violently in the Ralts's vision, and spasms shook his body, sending him crashing to the ground.

---

_Saif drowsy closed his eyes. His mother stroked his head._

"_I love you," she whispered._

_Incredible pangs of grief, anguish, and uncertainty hit Saif like a blow. His eyes shot open to see his mother dashing from the burrow. The pangs of emotion slowly faded until they were gone. It wasn't until he felt completely alone that he cried out._

"_Mother!"_

_

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_

**A/N**

For all of you who haven't ready "Someone Else's Memories," aging in the Pokemon world is may more advanced than human again, especially (and generally) in maturity. Typically, Pokemon will be brought up by their parents until about a year old, when a Pokemon is deemed old enough to travel on their own and make their own descisions (this varies from specie to specie). Also, Pokemon are aware of their names from the moment they are born - and their name hints at their future. It's for them to find out on their own, and they'll always find it out before they die, although in some cases it takes them to the brink of death to realize their name's meaning.

I hope you enjoy this, and continue to enjoy this. It's definately going to take a while to finish.


	3. Nothing Short of a Surprise

**DISCLAIMER: Nope, I don't own Pokemon, I just write about them. :)**

**O.O 940 words, I'm super sorry for the shortness, but this is a plot-only chapter. I promise, the next one will be a lot longer. Anyways, enjoy!**

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**Two: Nothing Short of a Surprise**

_Darkness is what all Pokemon are first aware of. Before we are truly Pokemon, we are Eggs, hidden inside a shell until we are ready for the world. But the darkness is either preferred, hated, or perfectly tolerable when compared to the light._

_Huh? Oh, no need for that silly question, you Magby! Of course all Pokemon are sensitive to the light when they are first born! You need to learn how to speak metaphorically!_

_Anyways… the preference of darkness to light, or vice versa, is a major factor in the fight of good and evil._

_---------_

_The darkness pressed against the being withheld in it. At first, it had been comforting, the only other friend besides the warmth, but now it was choking, restricting the being from the outside world._

_A voice from outside called to the being, enticing it to come out of the darkness. The being pushed against the darkness with its arms. Cracks of light flooded into the darkness. Painful to the being's new eyes, but it was beautiful nonetheless…_

_---_

"…he get out there…"

"…should wake…"

"…he moved!"

The Ralts struggled to wakefulness. His body _hurt_, but part of his head felt absolutely numb, like when his foot would fall asleep. He blinked, but his vision was slightly fuzzy. He could make out several Pokemon around him as his vision gradually cleared.

"Where…" He found it even hard to move his tongue.

"Shh…" A pink egg-shaped Pokemon leaned forward, then turned to look at a Pokemon that the Ralts could not see. "Get me a Cheri Berry," she ordered.

The Pokemon behind her must have obliged to the command, because the next moment the pink Pokemon was almost shoving a red berry down the Ralts's throat. Swallowing, the Ralts felt his mind clear, his limbs waken, and his vision became completely clear.

Three Pokemon stood around the Ralts (four if you counted the Pokemon that the pink Pokemon had talked to, but the Ralts couldn't see them). One, an orange mouse with a white underbelly, curved ears, and an extremely long tail leaned forward. His arms were well-muscled, but his belly and yellow cheeks were slightly pudgy.

"What's your name, son?" His voice was deep and gruff, but it radiated with concern.

"Saif," the Ralts answered. His voice grew panicked. "Where am I? Who are--"

"Shh," the pink Pokemon repeated. "You're in the sickbay of the Seaside Factory. I'm Chansey, that's Herrero, he's a Raichu." She pointed to the orange mouse who had spoken earlier, and then to a burly yellow-and-black-furred Pokemon with red eyes and two tails who stood between Chansey and Herrero. "And that's Electivire; he runs this factory."

An odd Pokemon seemed to float into the scene behind Chansey's shoulder. Her body was gray and blue, and her arms were incredibly thin. Her head was gray as well, and she had round ears.

"I'm Meditite," she said in a somewhat cold voice. _**Not that anyone would care to introduce me,**_ she added in Saif's mind with a grin.

Chansey turned to Meditite. "Can you--"

"Already did," Meditite chimed, seeming to relish in Chansey's surprise.

"Do what?" Saif asked confusedly. He felt extremely left out of the conversation.

"She probed your mind," Chansey explained before addressing Meditite again. "Well?"

"Well…" Meditite's voice darkened. "He's fine in everywhere but in the SPA lobe. It's… permanently paralyzed."

Saif blinked in confusion. "Permanently para-what?"

The Pokemon around him stood in grim silence. Finally, Electivire broke the silence. "Boy, where are your parents?"

Confused, sad, and scared, Saif burst into tears. "I-I don't know! M-mother left!"

"Meditite…" Chansey said, a look of worry plastered on her face.

"I'm trying!" Meditite insisted, her eyes closed in concentration. "I don't know Hypnosis, so it takes a little while!"

As Saif continued to cry, Meditite's brow furrowed in deeper concentration. A slight pressure entered the Ralts's mind, and Meditite spoke to him using telepathy. _**Calm down! Psychic abilities are a bit hard to use in my species.**_

Saif wouldn't stop his sobbing, though Meditite gritted her teeth, and the world went dark.

---------

When Saif blinked open his eyes, the room was darker. He heard snores from somewhere else in the room, but he seemed to be surrounded on all sides of his face by his pillow to see anything. He sat up, then looked around.

The room was long, with beds running down each side. Several Pokemon occupied the beds, but the one next to Saif held Herrero.

"Um… excuse me," Saif whispered.

The Raichu snored on.

"Excuse me," Saif said, a little louder than before.

Herrero twitched, but went back to sleep.

"Excuse me!" Saif exclaimed in a hoarse whispered, not wanting to accidentally wake up the other Pokemon in the room.

Herrero jolted awake, and glanced wildly around with his eyes before the locked on the Ralts. Immediately, he got to his feet and hurried over to Saif's bedside.

"You're awake," he said quietly.

Saif blinked at Herrero, hoping the Raichu would understand the look in his eyes. "What's wrong with me?" he asked.

Herrero gulped, and wrung his tail nervously. Saif suddenly had a feeling that he didn't want to know anything, but he knew that ignorance wasn't the answer.

"I'm so sorry!" the Raichu blurted out. "T-the lightning paralyzed your SPA lobe… it means you cannot attack with your special attacks anymore. You're defenseless."

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**Since Christmas is coming up, I will be either A) playing with my new video games, or B) being nice to you all and updating both of my stories (or just one. I might put up a Shaman King one, if you're interested in that, but that probably won't be posted for a while :)**

**Unless I don't update for a Christmas present to you guys, as always, this story won't be updated until I get at least one review every chapter. Happy Holidays!**


	4. The Seaside Factory

**DISCALIMER: Nope, Pokemon is NOT mine.**

**2,363 words. Dangit, I thought it would be longer. It SEEMED a lot longer in my notebook, but then again, I do write kinda big. Anyways, here's to the chapter!**

**Three: The Seaside Factory**

_Let's get a few things straight, shall we? Ralts, Kirlia, and Gardevoir are not physically strong - in general, of course. Sure, if one worked long enough, they could develop physical strength, but they would still be incredibly weak compared to other Pokemon._

_To compensate for their lack of physical strength, they have absolutely extraordinary special attack powers. But if one's SPA lobe of the brain were to be damaged, even a little, the said Ralts (or Kirlia or Gardevoir) would be left with fewer defenses._

_As you can probably tell, having your SPA lobe completely paralyzed is no small matter._

_----------_

"_Saif!" the Ralts cried as he tumbled out onto the bed. Even with such dim light, his eyes were squeezed shut with pain._

_A warm creature with thin arms embraced him. "Welcome to the world, little one," the feminine voice soothed._

_Though her voice was warm and welcoming, the Ralts picked up her underlying feels of what he would learn to be pain and sadness._

_Nevertheless, the female Pokemon picked up a ragged cloth and wiped the Egg gunk off of the Ralts._

_----------_

Saif stared at Herrero. "You mean… I can't use my attacks? At all?"

Herrero nodded sadly, his eyes distressed. "Meditite said you'd only ever be able to use physical attacks, but you… your species…"

"Quick, feel something!" Saif said suddenly, closing his eyes tightly.

"What?"

"Sadness, anger, anything!" the Ralts whispered harshly.

A moment passed… nothing. Saif waited another minute, but still, he felt nothing coming from the Raichu. He slowly blinked open his eyes and looked at the orange mouse. "…What were you feeling?" he asked quietly.

Herrero was silent for a moment. "Guilt."

Saif lay back down and stared blankly at the stone ceiling. Herrero opened his mouth as if to say something more, then must have thought better of it and padded away.

No matter how hard Saif searched, the ceiling held no answers. The subconscious comfort of knowing others' emotions and knowing that he could combat them if he had to was gone. He knew that he was only a week old, but it didn't take long to grow used to something that was always there.

The ceiling remained unresponsive as the sun rose.

----------

As the eastern sun rose through the windows, the Pokemon in the room started to wake.

"Mornin', youngin'."

Saif looked over to see a massive grey Pokemon with four well-muscled arms standing over him. The two lower arms were holding crutches to accommodate for the cast on his right foot; the other two arms were behind his back. They were moving slightly, as if his hands were restless.

Saif blinked. "Who are you?"

The Pokemon let out a laugh and extended one of his upper hands in greeting. "You ken' call me Machamp. There ain't no other Pokemon 'round here dat looks like me."

Saif hesitantly shook the Machamp's hand. "How did your leg…?"

Machamp huffed. "A silly youngin' Machop went and dropped a slab o' steel on my leg when I was takin' my lunch break." He gave another laugh. "Eh, no worries; my kind heal real quick. Anyways… what's a Pokemon like you doin' 'round here?"

Saif glanced down before answering. "I don't really know how I got here… they said that the SPA lobe of my brain got paralyzed, so I can't attack or defend myself."

"Dat's a problem," Machamp agreed. "But there's a way to git 'round it."

The Ralts's interest was instantly piqued. "How?"

"Well," Machamp started, "once ya evolve into a Kirlia, find a Dawn Stone, then ya evolve into a Gallade, 'stead of a Gardevoir. Gallade are master fighters."

Saif's mind was racing. "Where--"

"Excuse me."

Meditite was levitating at the edge of Saif's bed. "Sorry for interrupting, but Electivire wants to see Saif in his office." She gave a mock bow. "I'm here to escort him."

----------

Meditite led Saif down the hospital wing, past numerous Pokemon lying on cots.

"What made them all sick?" Saif asked as he toddled along, sticking close to Meditite.

"Oh, they're not all sick. Most are just injured in one way or another," Meditite explained. "That happens almost every day here at the factory," she chirped in a mock sing-song voice.

"What do you make here?" Saif asked as Meditite opened the door leading into another hallway. Faint shouts of busy Pokemon at work came from the doors on the right side of the stone hallway.

"All sorts of battle items," Meditite said with excitement as she led the way down the hall. "From Silver Spikes to Insomniscopes and more! We also harvest electricity from thunderstorms to aid our work."

Meditite opened the last door on the left. It led to a circular steel stairwell in a circle room of stone. Still levitating, she led the way up; Saif followed as fast as he could, but Ralts weren't exactly masters of stairs.

At the top of the stairs, a wide, steel-railed catwalk led to an incredibly plain steel door. Meditite knocked on the door, and a moment later it opened to reveal a massive brown bear with a yellow ring on its chest. The bear nodded and stepped aside for the duo to come inside.

The opposite wall of Electivire's office was a complete window, showing Pokemon workers of all kinds working at their stations in the factory. Another window faced the calm sea. The walls were stone, and one small section near the desk scattered with papers was covered with a black curtain.

Electivire stood in front of the window, his back to the visitors. Herrero stood next to him; the orange mouse's tail was twitching.

The brown bear closed the door and stood silently in front of it.

"Saif," Electivire greeted, keeping his eyes on the factory workers below. "Given the… circumstances of your being here, I have decided that you may stay with us for as long as you wish. You will stay with Chansey and Meditite in their quarters rather than the hospital wing. And, until you are… used to the way things are around here, you will be accompanied at all times when you are not in your quarters, or in the hospital wing. Do you understand?"

Electivire's tone was that of a boss debriefing a new worker. Saif had never been spoken to in this manner, but nevertheless, the Ralts kept the uneasiness out of his voice. "I understand."

Electivire nodded to the window, and then waved one of his tails. "Herrero, you may leave with the two. If you comply with my previous orders, I may reconsider your request."

Herrero nodded.

"Ursaring," Electivire continued. "Get the door for them, then take care of the factory stock reports on my desk." With that, the Thunderbolt Pokemon padded silently to the black curtain on the wall and disappeared into another room.

The brown bear - Ursaring - opened the door for the trio, then proceeded to the desk to study the papers strewn across it.

As Saif, Meditite, and Herrero proceeded down the stairwell, Meditite asked aloud, "May I ask what you were talking about, Herrero? You know I'm as nosy as they come."

"It's none of your business," Herrero said gruffly.

The subject was dropped.

Once back in the hallway, Herrero went through one of the doors into the main factory. Meditite led the way to the door two doors down from the hospital wing.

Inside was a kitchen. A giant kitchen. Everything was made of stainless steel; the table, the multiple ovens, the refrigerator, and every other appliance. Beyond the kitchen area, separated by a buffet-like serving area, was the mess hall, with at least ten long steel dining tables. A set of double doors was at the far side.

"In addition to being Chansey's assistant, I help Cook!" Meditite exclaimed. She levitated past the refrigerator and opened a door Saif had not seen.

"Cook!" she called.

A short, fat bird waddled into the kitchen. It had brown and tan feathers, and several feathers stuck up on its head. It held a greenish-white stick in its wing.

"Ah, Meditite, shall we start dinner?" the bird asked. Its voice was male.

_Dinner?_ Saif was confused._ It's only noon!_

"In a moment," Meditite answered. "First, have you met Saif? He'll be staying with us."

The bird turned toward Saif. "Ah, I've not seen a Ralts in some time." He gave the deepest bow his tremendous gut would allow, and flicked his greenish-white stick behind him in a polite gesture. "My name is Cook, and I am a Farfetch'd. My real name is much longer than just 'Cook," but I learned that is exactly what it means long ago. Pleased to meet you."

The bird rose back to a standing position. "Shall we get cookin'?" he asked joyously.

"Let's!" Meditite agreed cheerfully.

----------

After making sure Saif's feet and hands were sanitary, Cook placed the Ralts on the table to stir the large vats of soup. Meditite rummaged around in the cabinets for herbs and spices, while Cook marched around with his leek, issuing orders to the two. He would slice up the ingredients, then have Saif put them into the mix; finally, Meditite would add the spices.

Cook used his leek like a conductor's wand. The kitchen flowed like a (slightly clumsy) improvised orchestra. Soon, five steaming vats of soup were simmering on the stove. But the Pokemon weren't done yet.

Meditite flicked flour into Saif's hair and giggled as they kneaded dough for the bread they were making. "After we make this, you can be dessert!" she teased.

"Heh," Saif laughed slightly. He was taking the cooking job a little more seriously than Meditite was, partly because he was trying to keep his mind busy. "You'll be breakfast then."

"More kneading, less talking!" Cook ordered as he put the first batch of dough in the oven. "We don't want the workers to go hungry!"

"Yeah, they might want roasted Farfetch'd," Meditite whispered, stifling a snort of laughter.

"Pokemon eat Pokemon?" Saif asked, confused.

"Oh, sorry," Meditite apologized, the laughter gone from her voice. "I forgot that the Ralts line only eat meat if there's no other option…" She shook her head as if to clear it. "My kind are like that too. But anyways, yeah, some Pokemon eat others. It's survival, but mostly… 'uncivilized' Pokemon do that nowadays."

"Quit your chatter!" Cook ordered with mock impatience. "Chatter is a move for Chatot, not my workers!"

Meditite giggled, the laughter returning to her voice. "Then why aren't you a Chatot?"

Cook huffed as he tested the soup, dipping his leek in the liquid, then sticking it in his mouth. "Delicious," he muttered.

Meditite rolled her eyes, but said nothing.

Saif wasn't paying attention. Instead, he was trying to block the mental image of one of his Rattata friends being swallowed by an Ekans. In his first week of living, he remembered the feelings of pain and utter fear coming from out in the forest from time to time. _So that's what was happening…_

_----------_

At exactly six o'clock, a bell sounded. It was almost deafening, and Saif had to cover his ears. Almost immediately, Pokemon swarmed into the cafeteria, and raced to the serving area.

The food was plentiful, and sounds of laughter filled the cafeteria. Slurping, burping, and other gross eating sounds lasted for an hour.

Dinner was served among the three chefs once the other Pokemon had been served. The bread was warm and delicious, while the vegetable-and-berry soup was a dish that made you scrape the bottom of the bowl for more.

Once seven o'clock rolled around, the Pokemon started to disperse back to their rooms for the night.

As Meditite herded the rather sleepy-and-full Saif to the door, Cook called after them. "Goodnight, you chattering Chatot."

Meditite snorted with laughter, and called goodnight to the Farfetch'd before she closed the door behind her and Saif.

This time in the hallway, Meditite opened the door beside the one that led to the hospital wing. Inside was a quaint sitting room, with shelves of books and several comfy-looking chairs. A glass orb hung from the ceiling by a cord, giving off light. Two doorways, covered by drapes for privacy, led to the bedrooms.

"Welcome to our humble abode!" Meditite pointed to the orb hanging from the ceiling. "See that? That's a Luminous Orb. Usually, you have to break Orbs to use them, but psychics can use their minds to turn them on and off…" Meditite trailed off.

"I suppose I can't do that," Saif commented quietly. He shook his head. "Sorry, Meditite. I'm just sleepy."

Meditite brightened and led the way through the curtained doorway to the right. "We're sharing a room."

The room was small, with wooden walls and a stone floor with an exceptionally wide rug lain over it. A tiny window was on the far wall, revealing the evening ocean. One bed, covered with blue blankets, was pushed up against the left wall, while the other one, covered with green blankets, was against the right.

Suddenly exhausted, Saif blundered to the green-blanketed bed and crawled under the covers.

"Okay," Meditite chuckled. "I guess it's already time for lights out." The Luminous Orb that hung from the ceiling extinguished its light, and Meditite plopped into her own bed.

"Meditite?" Saif asked drowsily. He had a habit of talking himself to sleep. He and his mother had done it whenever he took a nap.

"Yeah?"

"How old-" Saif yawned "-are you? You know… just wondering."

"Four months," Meditite mumbled, and soon she was snoring lightly. Saif wasn't far behind her.

* * *

**Hm.... Does this chapter give you enough to think about? XD **

**Happy holidays! And may 2010 be an epic year!**


	5. Slap

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokemon!**

**Sorry for taking so long. I've been lazy. But that's no excuse, I know. And this is kinda short and filler-like... I'm afraid this fic may be going down a dark path, but I'll try to keep it alive. You, as the fans, deserve more.**

**If you're a fan of Someone Else's Memories (SEM), not only will you notice some thing obvious, but I also included a little something to hopefully remind you of a SEM character, and give a hint as to their name's meaning. If you can guess/find it, I suppose I could give you a cookie... though I do like my cookies.**

**Four: Slap**

_Days can either go as slow as a Slowpoke, or as fast as a Ninjask. It depends, mostly, on what we're going through in our lives. In the troubled times, it seems that the difficulties will never end, and that more problems will come the next morn. But when we're happy and carefree, time flies by in the blink of an eye._

_But, alas, it is when we go from zipping in every direction to a sudden roadblock when we get a slap in the face._

---------

_Five minutes in the new world, and the Ralts had been cold, frightened, comforted, then warm. And he still had yet to lean things that would take up his whole life._

"_Little Saif," the voice soothed._

_The Ralts opened his eyes, blinking in pain until his eyes adjusted to the light. He was looking up into the face of a creature with a white face, green hair, and two red, curved horns sticking out from either side of her head._

"_I am your mother," she said with a smile. "I am a Gardevoir."_

_If Saif had been a little older, he would have been able to tell that the tiny dark spot of feeling coming off of his mother was the guilt of a lie._

----------

Two weeks went by Saif's head in a blur. Each day was nearly the same to the last; he'd help Chansey and Meditite in the hospital wing, then help Cook in the kitchen. While some things that happened in the hospital wing were a little gruesome (such as watching Chansey give stitches to a Machop), the two weeks were mostly full of fun and little games.

The few times that Saif saw Herrero, the Raichu was gruff and mostly silent. The orange mouse was usually working in the factory or was found poring over a notebook with a pen at dinnertime (word was that he had been demoted from supervising the lightning rod replacement crew). He always sat a few seats away from the other Pokemon, and rarely ate all of his dinner.

With each passing day, Saif grew more and more used to relying on his (rather lacking) physical strength; he also grew used to focusing on a Pokemon's facial expressions and tone of voice to determine their feelings. But still, the Ralts found tasks difficult, and some Pokemon's feelings impossible to interpret.

----------

"Saif, stir that soup one more time," Cook ordered.

The Farfetch'd was putting apples into the 'applesauce maker,' as he called it, for next morning's breakfast. After the blender began its job, he added to Saif, "Electivire needs that for his cold."

"Pfft." Meditite rolled her eyes. "Electivire gets a cold every other week. He overwhelms himself. Chansey says the same thing." She went back to kneading the dough for the pizza.

Saif stirred the Oran Berry soup with a ladle. Pizza meant that today was Friday. Tomorrow, most of the workers would leave for the weekend to see their families. While the factory would be more boring, Meditite would be helping him to learn how to read footprint runes.

The kitchen door opened quietly, and Ursaring entered the room. He nodded to all three Pokemon. Saif spooned some of the soup into a bowl set on a tray. With a grunt of thanks, Ursaring took the tray laden with the soup and left.

Saif was about to join Meditite when a small bell sounded.

"By Raiku's whiskers!" Cook cursed, pulling a tray of tiny rolls out of the oven. "I forgot to give Electivire a roll!"

Without using oven mitts, the Farfetch'd swatted a roll off the tray and onto a small plate. He handed the plate to Saif. "Take it up to Electivire's room. If Ursaring's not there, then go behind the black curtain and give this to Electivire."

Meditite turned and opened her mouth to say something, but Cook interrupted her. "He knows his way around. He'll be fine." The bird flapped his wings and pointed to the door with his leek. "Now hurry, before it gets cold!"

----------

After two weeks of living in the factory, Saif had learned what lay behind most of the doors in the hall. He hadn't been told where exactly the doors on the right led to, but he knew they led to different parts of the factory. The doors on the left led to the crew rooms, where the workers slept and bathed.

He had to stand on tiptoe to open the door to the steel staircase. Saif's legs hadn't grown any longer since his first (and last) visit to Electivire's office, and the climb up the circular staircase wasn't any easier, either.

At the top, he knocked on Electivire's door. There were no voices or footsteps coming from the other side of the door; nevertheless, Saif waited another minute before he hesitatingly opened the door.

Electivire's office was empty. Papers were still strewn across his desk, but the blinds prevented light from the factory from entering the room.

"Um…Electivire?" Saif called hesitantly.

There was no answer.

Remembering Cook's orders, Saif padded into the room towards the black curtain, occasionally looking back over his shoulder at the half-open door that led back to the stairs.

Still slightly reluctant, he drew back the curtain a little and entered Electivire's private chamber. Inside was a simple stone room with a beige carpet and a bed with extremely ruffled blankets and pillows. On the edge of the bed was the tray with the untouched bowl of soup on it.

Hurriedly, Saif put the plate and roll on the tray. But before he turned back around, his eyes caught the sight of a wooden table beside the bed. On it was a plain wooden box, worn and splintered, like it had been opened and closed many times. But at the moment, a thin layer of dust sat on it.

The box called out to him like a cookie would to a Munchlax. Curiosity made him pad as silently as possible to the box. His hand seemed to move by itself.

The box felt like it looked. Rough and worn. It opened with ease.

Saif had to step on the tip of his toes to even reach into the box, as he had left the box on the table when he opened it. He groped around inside and pulled out a square piece of wood.

One side of the small square was plain. Saif flipped it over and inspected the other side. A simple scene was painted upon it. Two Pokemon sat one a hill. Both were laughing and smiling, the larger one hugging the smaller. The larger Pokemon was a female Electivire, and the smaller one was similar in color with twin horns, a small round body, and thick forearms.

"I see you've delivered my food." Electivire's unmistakable voice sounded from behind Saif.

"Uh…" Saif stammered, turning around and hiding the painting behind his back. "J-just the roll."

Electivire nodded. His eyes were baggy and dull with exhaustion. He held out his hand. "Give me the picture," he asked calmly.

A little reluctantly, Saif handed the picture to Electivire.

Electivire stared blankly at the picture and turned around slowly, his back to Saif, and started to speak.

"Few Pokemon can remember the darkness," he started, his voice void of emotion. "But I can. It was a horrible place. No sun, no breeze. The waves of the ocean were frozen in time. It was an ugly world.

"When time was restored, us Pokemon who remembered the darkness were reborn. You could say the timeline went along as it should have."

Electivire sighed, his voice vibrating with exhaustion. "At this point in time, we would still be in the darkness. Anyway, after I evolved, I met my mate, and we had a son. But I could never get the damn darkness out of my mind," he added harshly.

He continued with quiet reflection. "She left after I showed that I could only work on the factory to keep the darkness out."

Saif blinked in confusion. Why was Electivire acting like this?

Electivire straightened up. "Thank you for the food. But before you leave, know that I will see you up here again in a week's time. That is all."

Electivire's voice had gone from quiet to businesslike an instant. As Saif hurried out of the room, he wondered if Electivire was mental.

----------

That night, Saif laid in his bed as Meditite read a book that she had told him was entitled _Oceans and Their Habits and Habitats*, by Seascale Milotic._

The window had been opened to let the summer night air in. The ocean could be heard crashing against the rocky bluff, and a soft breeze blew in from the window.

"Meditite?"

"Hm?" It took Meditite a moment to look up from her book. "What is it?"

"How'd you get here?" Saif asked, staring up at the ceiling. "I mean, here at the factory."

Meditite's attitude dropped instantly, and she was silent for a moment before she answered. "We lived on a small isle off of Blizzard Island," she started.

"I never knew my mother, but my father was a good Pokemon. He took me out on hunts as soon as I was old enough. We lived in a poor tribe, and there wasn't much food to go around, so the whole 'one berry a day thing' for my species was suicidal.

"I was just under a month old when a herd of Pelipper arrived with news of new jobs in the north. Father jumped at the chance. He took all of our savings to buy tickets on a ferry to the port near here. We got halfway across the sea when… w-when…"

Meditite clutched at the pouch tied around her neck. Slowly, she opened the pouch and pulled out a small crystal shaped like an immortal snowflake. Tiny white cracks lined the inside of the clear crystal like jagged, irregular thin lines. She stared at it as she started to speak again.

"I dropped this in the water, and I cried. He jumped in after it. He got it back to me… but the water was so cold… Stupid Medicham would do anything for me…" Meditite's voice wavered, and her eyes started to shimmer and shine with tears.

"An Ampharos took care of me and got me to the factory. Then Chansey took me in as her own-" Meditite put the crystal back in her pouch "-and life went on."

As Meditite wiped at her eyes, Saif stared at the ceiling. He had been able to tell that Meditite was sad, but… _he_ hadn't felt anything emanating from her, not anything in that physical yet not physical state…

It was a slap in the face, a reminder that he would never feel others' emotions in his soul ever again.


	6. Promises

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN POKEMON, NEVER HAVE, NEVER WILL.**

_I can't apologize enough for the lateness. Not only that, this chapter is short and just about 100% filler. Next chapter will bring more plot. Sorry about that._

**Five: Promises**

_Fun and games are ideal for children. They teach great lessons, even when they seem too silly to do so. It broadens the imagination and forges friendships. But what makes them most special are the promises made during them - both spoken and unspoken._

_

* * *

_

_Mother leaned down and set her Saif on the floor. The little Ralts's legs wobbled, but his mother held his arms._

"_I'll help you walk," she promised. "I'll help you up if you fall."_

* * *

"Yes! Yay!"

Meditite bounced into her and Saif's room, obviously overjoyed.

"What is it?" Saif asked groggily. It was the second morning after he had gone to Electivire's room, and he hadn't slept well last night either.

Meditite stopped dancing and beamed at Saif. "Chansey just told me we have the day off!"

Saif blinked, still a bit sleepy. "What do you mean?"

Meditite rolled her eyes and tugged on Saif's hand. "It means that we get to go play in the forest!"

"Uh… Okay," Saif agreed, unsure of what to say.

"Good." Meditite took Saif's arm and dragged him along behind her as she led the way out to the hall. She headed down near the door that led to Electivire's room and entered the door past it.

Inside was another hall, but this one had only one door.

"This is the side exit," Meditite explained as she hurried down the hall. She recited the code for the keypad lock to Saif and opened the door.

Saif had forgotten just how good it felt to have grass under his feet. The ocean breeze ruffled his hair from the right, where the ocean bashed repeatedly against the cliffs. The morning sunshine was warm and inviting.

"C'mon!" Meditite called as she started to run flat-out towards the woods out across the small meadow that surrounded the factory.

"Wait for me!" Saif started to run after her, stumbling a little over his short legs.

Meditite stopped when she came to the tree-line. "What do you want to play?" she asked when Saif finally caught up to her.

"I don't…know," Saif panted, trying to catch his breath.

"Well, tag would be unfair," Meditite giggled. "Since you're so slow… Hmm… Oh, I know! Let's play explorers!"

"Explorers?" Saif blinked in confusion.

"Yeah, explorers," Meditite confirmed, fanning out her arms in emphasis for a moment. "Explorers explore mystery dungeons and find treasure; don't you know that? They also help Pokemon in need."

"Is this a mystery dungeon?" Saif asked, staring hard at the trees as if they might suddenly change their position if he blinked.

"Nope! That's why it's safe to play here." Meditite did a one-eighty and started marching off into the trees. "I'll lead!"

Saif hurried after Meditite. "What are we looking for?" he asked, looking around at the tall deciduous trees and the leaf mold on the ground.

Meditite stopped, and Saif almost bumped into her. "Um… oh! I know!" She whipped around and spoke in a secretive whisper. "In the center of these woods is buried treasure!"

"What kind of treasure?" Saif asked, his interest peaked.

Meditite smiled and hurried into the woods. "That's what we have to find out!"

Amused by her acting skills, Saif chuckled and hurried after his friend.

After ten minutes, Saif decided that the forest _should _be a mystery dungeon. The undergrowth tripped him every few paces, and the trees were so abundant that there seemed to be one every other footstep -- most of them seemed to look the same as well.

Suddenly, Meditite stopped. "Here's a good place to--!"

"_Hoo-hoot!_"

Startled at the interruption, the duo jumped and looked around. After a few heartbeats of alarmed search, Saif saw an odd Bird Pokemon staring at them from up in a hollow of a tree, and he pointed it out to Meditite.

"Keep quiet!" the Bird hooted, clicking its beak in annoyance, its large feathered brow furrowed. "Some of us aren't diurnal, you know!"

Saif was frightened into silence, but Meditite piped up. "Diurnal? What's that, Noctowl?"

The Bird - Noctowl - ruffled its feathers and glared at them in a mixture of annoyance and disbelief. "Pfft. And they call your kind 'civilized.' _Diurnal _is the opposite of _nocturnal_, meaning you're active in the daytime. Now if you'll excuse me from this useless waste of words and daylight, some of us must get our sleep."

With that, Noctowl clicked its beak one last time and turned its head around - Saif realized with a slight jolt that the Bird had turned its head completely around to look at them; its back was turned to them the entire time.

"Hmph." Meditite shrugged. "Let's keep going."

Five minutes later, Meditite stopped abruptly again. "Let's look here!"

She dropped on all fours and looked at the ground, and began digging with both hands. Saif dropped to the ground beside her and helped her dig through the leaf mold. When they had dug out a good portion of dirt (mostly onto themselves), Meditite stood.

"Nothing here!" she cried before pulling Saif up and dragging him through the woods.

"Where _is _the treasure?" Saif asked.

Meditite shrugged. "Somewhere around here I guess."

Sudden, a bracken frond in front of them waved wildly as a black puppy-like Pokemon appeared in front of them.

The Poochyena appeared to be a scrawny, gangly adolescent. "What are _you_ doing here?" he asked, bristling with hostility.

Saif immediately hid behind his friend as Meditite said, "We're playing. Is there something wrong about that?"

"You're on my family's territory," the Poochyena growled. "And you're the 'civilized' creatures my mother told me about! Get out before I Bite you."

"What's wrong with not living in the forest?" Meditite asked heatedly. "There's no difference between us."

"Get out," the Poochyena repeated, lowering himself into a crouch as if to spring at them, baring his fangs.

"Meditite…" Saif warned. "Let's go…"

"No!" she retorted. "This forest doesn't belong to one Pokemon - it belongs to everyone!"

"This is part of my family's _territory_!" the Poochyena growled, pouncing.

Immediately, Meditite shot her palm outward and hit the puppy square in the muzzle. He squealed in pain, dropping to the ground and covering his muzzle with his paws.

"You'll pay for that!" he warned, his voice muffled and slightly squeaky. "My parents will get you!"

"Hmph." Meditite turned around and grabbed Saif's arm. "Let's go. If there are more like _him_ in this forest, I don't want to play here."

She led Saif away from the whimpering-slash-growling Poochyena and back toward the factory. She stomped along, her face and grip on Saif's arm furious, mumbling something about stupid dog Pokemon. Saif let himself be dragged along without complaint, not daring to speak - it was enough work to keep his legs moving to keep up with Meditite.

When they were finally out of the trees, Meditite suddenly stopped, and Saif almost (again) bumped into her.

"Right!" Meditite exclaimed, seeming to forget about the whole ordeal. "You still haven't mastered footprint runes. Let's go do that."

Utterly stunned by Meditite's quick change of mood, he let her drag him back inside all the way back to their room. She plopped him on a chair and turned around to pluck a book from the shelf - Saif noticed that it was rather thin.

"I've taught you all the symbols." Meditite thrust the book into his hands. "Read this out loud to me."

"Umm…" Saif stalled, looking at the cover. "'_Legends: Humans._'" He blinked. "What are humans?"

"You don't know!?" she exclaimed. "They're a dead species. I don't know when they died out. The last one was Olivia, you remember reading about her, right? She saved the world, disappeared, and never came back. Now," Meditite commanded, forcibly opening the book for him, "read."

So, Saif began to read the book, finding the footprint text very large and easy to read, though he fumbled many times over the words, and Meditite continually had to correct him.

"'_Humans used to be very abala-- _abundant, sorry -- _and were mostly great friends to Pokemon, though some despi… dispised our kind. They were usually pinkish creatures…_'"

And so on went the reading, ending with the tale of the last human, Olivia (which was very difficult for Saif to read the first time). Briefly it mentioned her partners, Tide the Piplup and Grovyle, but not much else -- it was an easy reading book, after all. The last passage read:

"'_While humans have been present throughout history, humans have died out for unknown reasons. Not one has been seen after Olivia was transformed into a Charmander.'"_

"Good job!" Meditite praised when Saif was finished. She took the book from Saif and put it back on the shelf.

Saif tipped his head. "I wonder how they all died."

Meditite shrugged. "I don't know. I read in one book that they all killed each other; in another they all died of a plague."

Suddenly, Saif's stomach grumbled. "When's dinner?"


End file.
